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La Nouba
La Nouba was a Cirque Du Soleil show residing in Downtown Disney Springs, Orlando, Florida. The title of the show comes from the french phrase faire la nouba, which means to party, to live it up. Characters : In La Nouba there were two main character categories: the Cirques, or circus people, sporting bright, fluorescent colors; and the Urbains, or urbanites, who wore dark, muted colors or monochromatic costumes. As in every Cirque du Soleil show, in addition to the performances, there were several distinctive characters that participated in the show, sometimes as performers and sometimes as spectators. In La Nouba, these included: :* The Green Bird: She is a flightless bird, out of her cage, watching the show from every angle desperate to fly as she sees so many aerial acts, but unable, often mimicking what she sees. :* Les Cons: The "nuts" or "silly people" dressed in all white are the ever present fools of the show. They find themselves in the middle of everything and often participating in different ways. Neither true performers nor merely spectators, they bumble their way through with naive innocence somewhat of a liaison between the audience world and the world of La Nouba. :* Le Titan: A mysterious "muscle man" who confronts everyone on stage while contorting his body in unusual poses. He's a solitary figure, unfriendly and threatening. He marches assertively through the world of La Nouba, like a nightmare waiting to take over a sweet dream. :* The Walker: What’s going on in the head (under the hat) of the lonely little Walker? Back and forth he goes, never stopping... except at very specific moments, for reasons known to him alone. With a happy-go-lucky shuffle in his step, this character sees the world through playfullness and happiness. Complete with a green bowler's hat, he'll warm his way into your heart and soul, and bring a smile to your face. :* The Pierrot Rouge: Also know as The Acrobatic Pierrot appears up on the mountain, on the wall at the End of the World, on the Rocks, and at the heart of the action. Agile and nimble, within a flash of folly you'll miss him as he turns, flips, twists and flies across your view. He's the adversary of the Titan, but joins him in mutual admiration at the end of the show. :* The Dancers: The Romeo and Juliet of the show. They dance and share their love, passion and fears on stage. Their emotions are exhibited through their graceful, beautiful movements on stage. :** The Lost Ballerina: A lost ballerina looking for a purpose to her existence. She will find love and join the Cirques. :** The Pierrot Clown: A lost soul in the dark city, who will find a purpose and motivation to evolve through his love for the Lost Ballerina. :* The Cleaning Woman: Shocked to be in this world and astonished by what goes on around her, she sweeps and dusts nonetheless until her dream becomes a reality. :* The Prince: '''A noble prince transformed into a frog. He is also a talented trumpet player. :* '''The Rag Doll: '''A rag doll left in the attic that will fly away for a while with The Walker through the door of her imagination. :* '''The Singers: Two singer used to perform in the show with two different but unique style, a countertenor and an R&B singer. In 2015 until the final bow of the show, the male countertenor singing part was not performed live but rather used pre-recorded tracks of the singer. :** Liama: A princess in the world of La Nouba who sings her joy and passion. :** The Peacock Singer: A ambiguous character, dangerous and protective at the same time. He lives in height, perched at the top of the mountain, on the wall at the end of the world, where he sing the tale of all the action he see from the sky, like a bird. :* The Clowns: Opposite yet complementary forces, the Singers in Black and in White are paragons of resilience. Together, they become an unstoppable, inspirational force in this realm longing for light and hope. :** Balto and Sergey: The Singer in White is naïve, yet wise in the face of adversity. She is part of the The Aristocrates but unlike the rest of her family, she wants the kingdom to change and improve. :** Purple Pablo and Orange Pablo: Purple Pablo and Orange Pablo are sometimes friends, sometimes enemies. Guiding guests on their colorful journey through this new place called La Nouba. Enhancing a world that mesmerizes and mystifies. Acts |-| Current Acts = * The Parade:The lights dim down and the audience becomes still now; a shock of electric excitement filled the air as any previous vociferations come to a sharp end. And then the unforgettable sound of a lone trumpet fills the theater, as the Festival of Characters enter, one by one, and introduce themselves to us. * Prologue:Ding dong. Ding dong. The door creeks open, a column of light shines through, outlining the form of a lady, a rather round and lifeless creature, whose job it is to clean and sweep the floors around her. She is the cleaning lady, representing the every day man or woman, no doubt. But as she goes about her duties, oblivious of the world she has entered, the creatures of this fantastical realm are beginning to stir. * Breakdance:Prepare to look on with wonder as these individually world-famous break dancers come together and treat you to a high-energy B-Boy act packed with jaw-dropping power moves. For the first time in Cirque du Soleil history, B-Boying, commonly known as break dancing, has been given its very own act. * Aerial Bamboo:Gaze up and witness a powerful love story unfold! You’ll find yourself at the edge of your seat watching this duo perform their spellbinding Aerial Bamboo routine. Originating from China, this moving art form involves fluid choreography and bold tricks performed while dangling from a pole-like apparatus that’s suspended from the ceiling. It’s the only known act of its kind in North America! * Dance Interlude:A Lost Ballerina and a Pierrot Clown meet in a secret garden. Their love, like their dance, is a never-ending story filled with desire, fear and a longing for more. * Diabolos:The diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, is a children’s game first introduced into the realm of the arts in Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam. This entrancing act features four young Chinese performers, ranging in age from 11 to 14, who have been training together since the age of three. Holding two sticks linked by a string, they slide, juggle and toss a musical wooden spool while performing flips in the air. Demonstrating increasingly difficult maneuvers, the artists attempt to outdo each other in dexterity and ingenuity.. * Cycles:This act gets rolling with a BMX wizard whose difficult maneuvers never fail to mesmerize the public. His technical twists, gymnastic turns and spins on one wheel are highlighted in incredible tricks such as G-turns, boomerangs and megaspins, all accompanied by lots of footwork. The second half of the act features yet another artist whose feats are equally astonishing. His hard-to-believe stunts include riding over obstacles without ever putting his feet down, jumping off high platforms, hopping up and down steps and into the audience on one wheel, and even jumping over an artist and a guest before literally plunging into the bowels of the stage. * Aerial Cradle:The aerial cradle looks like a door and is a perfect example of equal-opportunity strength and agility. This amazing athletic display features elements of traditional circus aerial cradle with a unique and special difference – the male and female artist take turns supporting one another 34 feet above the stage. * Aerial ballet in silk:In a stunning display of grace and strength, the artists become one with the ribbon of red fabric that cradles them. This breathtaking aerial dance requires immense agility and flexibility, and allows the performers a wide latitude of acrobatic and artistic expression. * Rola Bola:A colorful performer built a tower of cylinders and pipes, all the while balancing on a board on top of it all. As his tower grew higher and higher, so did the risk and excitement; the acrobat juggled while on top of the shaky tower. * Flying Trapeze:Four pendulum-like swings, on two different levels, carry a team of perfectly synchronized aerialists 53 feet above the stage. This innovative bi-level rigging enables the trapezists to create a visually arresting exhibition of rhythm and athleticism. Timing is key when all four trapezes are swinging in tandem and the aerialists switch places – barely inches away from colliding. * Power Track:This act in La Nouba takes ordinary trampoline and fast-track performance to a new level. The stage is literally set on fire in this high-energy acrobatic display of phenomenal timing and spatial awareness. * Epilogue:During the run of the program, the cleaning lady makes an appearance to woo a frog that has jumped on stage. Led to believe it's a prince in disguse, she captures the bouncing creature and kisses it. She leaves with her head full of dreams. But we see her agony is not without reward. The frog was a prince indeed! The green carpet is rolled out to them as the two reappear to share with us their consumation into holy matrimony. |-| Acts In Rotation = *'Cyr Wheel': This act was a backup act for aerial bamboo and was not commonly performed in the show. |-| Retired Acts = * German Wheel:What started as a popular gymnastics exercise in Germany has become a crowd-pleasing act for Cirque du Soleil. Six-and-a-half feet in diameter, the wheel consists of two metal hoops joined at six points. Identical twin brothers turn and spin the wheels while performing gravity-defying somersaults and acrobatics. Though both were featured in Cirque du Soleil’s Nouvelle Expérience, this is the first time they are performing together as a duo. * Skipping rope:Inspired by the playfulness of our youth, the Skipping Ropes act begins with the Urbains performing rigid rhythms in monochromatic tones. This gives way to vibrant dance and acrobatics in a steady stream of solo, duo and group jumps and formations. Our featured Skippers combine artful moves, exceptional agility and impressive speed that far exceed child’s play. * High Wire:The entire act takes place on a 90-foot long high wire. With remarkable balance and precision, wire-walkers ascend to a height of 34 feet above the stage. Supported by a half-inch steel wire, they execute breathtaking maneuvers such as 360-degree spins, head balancing, and death defying somersaults. This amazing funambulist team is comprised of two Russian acrobats who are life-long students of the discipline. * Juggling:Balls, hoops, and clubs fly in unprecedented numbers and at speeds that the eye and the brain can't easily process. And they don't just pass from hand to hand, they arc and fly into waiting props and receptacles with a seemingly impossible accuracy. This juggling act has been called, quite simply, the best in the world. * Balancing on Chairs: Featured a solo performer who hand-balanced on eight chairs stacked on a table. The chair stack rose 25 feet (7.6 m) in the air. The area below the chairs and table rose via a platform raising the performer a full 41 feet (12 m) above the stage. This act was replaced with juggling in 2010. Music At La Nouba, all music is performed live by six musicians and two singers. Composed by Benoit Jutras and directed by performer Benoit Glazer (incidentally, there is a third "Benoit", violinist Benoit Lajeunesse) the music is at times sorrowful, others upbeat and often mysterious. Jazz, hip-hop, Klezmer, opera, and other styles come together in an amazing way. The performers are somewhat hidden in towers on either side of the stage. Their play is perfectly coordinated to the action on stage There are two distinctively different voices in the show. First, a male countertenor singing in the alto range (currently, Ralph Daniel Rawe), adds an operatic feel to the soundtrack. The second, female gospel vocalist (currently, Sisaundra Lewis), punctuates many acts with her alto tones. Category:Retired Show [[Category:Shows [[Category:Resident Show